Administrative System of the Marathas c27.s6: 4. The Agency of Collection
Administrative System of the Marathas c27.s6
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4. The Agency of Collection
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The agency of collection was practically the same under the Muhammadans and the Marathas. The village communities flourished undisturbed and the village headmen were responsible for revenue collection and the village accountant kept the accounts. The account books were sent to the government officials almost in the same manner under both the Governments. "The Patwari," says Abul Fazl, "of each village was to apportion (the village) name by name, among the various subordinate agents, and the collectors were to send the cash under the seal of the Patwari to the treasurer." ⁹ The Muquad-dams were considered so indispensable that Murshid Quli Khan, during his Dewanship in the Deccan, found it necessary to appoint new village headmen where the old family had either died out or migrated to some other place.
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⁹ Elliot and Dowson, Vol. VI, p. 64.
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5. *Remission of Rent:*
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Like the *paymalli* compensation remission of rent in times of famine were also made by Mughal Emperors. They thus set a strong precedent for the Marathas to follow, even though the principle was not new. One case of such remission of rent will suffice here. In 1629 Gujrat and the Deccan were visited by a terrible famine, and Abdul Hamid Lahori tells us that, "Under the directions of the wise and generous Emperor taxes amounting to nearly seventy lacs of rupees were remitted by the revenue officers—a sum amounting to nearly eighty *krors* of *dams*, and amounting to one eleventh part of the whole revenue. When such remissions were made from the exchequer it may be conceived how great were the reductions made by the nobles who held *jagirs* and *mansabs*."¹⁰ Akbar was contented, when a similar calamity overtook Hindusthan, with the distribution of alms as Shaikh Nurul Hakk informs us, "During the year 1004 H. there was a scarcity of rain throughout the whole of Hindustan, and a fearful famine raged continuously for three or four years. The king ordered that alms should be distributed in all the cities, and Nawab Shaikh Farid Bokhari, being ordered to superintend and control their distribution, did all in his power to relieve the general distress of the people. Public tables were spread, and the army was increased in order to afford maintenance to the poor people." 11
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¹⁰ Elliot and Dowson, Vol. VII, p. 25.
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Another commendable example that the Mughal Emperors set before the Marathas was that of granting rent-free land to deserving physicians for rendering their professional service free of charge to the suffering humanity. Muhammadans and Hindus believed alike in astrology and long association and spirit of inborn tolerance had generated in the Hindus that reverence for the mosques and the saints of their Musulman neighbours which devotees of one faith seldom entertain for another. The Sultans of Bijapur and Ahmadnagar therefore granted rent-free lands in *inam* to successful and learned Hindu astrologers while rent-free lands were granted by Shivaji and his successors for the maintenance of mosques and shrines of Muhammadan saints. The Maratha rulers also granted such *inam* to physicians of all faith and nationality for free distribution of medicine. Here, however, they had the example of the Muhammadan rulers before their eyes. In the year 989 of the Hijira a farman was granted to a Parsi physician which runs as follows—"Order,
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Let the revenue collectors and officials and Desais and Qanungos of the township of Navasari be informed that whereas the Parsi Mahr Tabib (physician) is a deserving person and does not possess any other means of subsistence, and whereas he has offered himself as a sacrifice, for the blessed life of His Exalted Majesty (May God perpetuate his dominion), the extent of four Auls of cultivated land and culturable waste, one Aul of cultivated and three Auls of culturable (waste), within the environs of the aforesaid township, has been settled upon him as his wasifah. As soon as they receive intimation of this Parwanah, they should hand over to him the said land after fixing its boundaries and setting it apart, so that having tilled it according to his ability, he may spend the proceeds thereof in (providing) the means of subsistence and devote himself with a tranquil mind to praying for the permanence of His Majesty's powerful Kingdom. Let them know their duty and regard obedience in this matter as a positive obligation and do nothing contrary to the same. Written on the 21st of the sacred month of Muharram 989."¹²
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¹¹ Elliot and Dowson, Vol. VI, p. 193.
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¹² Hodivala, Studies in Parsi History, pp. 172-173.
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It is certain that the Parsi Tabib did not get the inam in question for merely "Praying for the permanence of His Majesty's powerful Kingdom," but for his professional services to the suffering subjects of His Majesty. Any doubt on this point is removed by another document quoted by Professor Hodivala in his *Studies in Parsi History*. "The children of Qiam Tabib beg and request the evidence of all those, who have any knowledge of the matter, to state whether the person aforesaid cures the ailments of the needy poor and distressed of the township of Navasari and whether his means of subsistence depend on fifty Bighas extent of land with trees thereon, in the said township. If any one is cognizant of the fact of the aforesaid Tabib having cured the diseases of the needy and the indigent, let him affix, for God's sake, his testimony below, (for which) he will receive his reward from the Lord and deserve thanks from men."¹³ The request was answered by several Muhammadan gentlemen who attested to the truth of the statement and attached their seal and signature to the paper quoted above. It should be noted that the children of Qiam Tabib were the descendants of Mahr Tabib of the first document and it is clear that they enjoyed the inam in lieu of the service their ancestor and father rendered to the needy and the indigent of their native town. The Peshwas did not open hospitals and charitable dispensaries, they considered their duties performed when they granted some rent-free land in inam to some physician, whether he was a Hindu or a Muhammadan or even a Portuguese did not matter much, who had the public spirit and generosity of treating the poor and the indigent sick free of charge.
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¹³ Hodivala, *Studies in Parsi History*, pp. 186-187.
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6. Kauls :
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Kauls have been referred to in the farmans addressed to Muhammad Hashim and Rasikdas and we have seen in Book II how common this practice was in the Peshwa days. There is reason to believe that the Marathas were indebted to the Mughals for this excellent practice although the theory underlying it was older than the Muhammadan conquest. While engaged in a war against the Portuguese the Mughal officers often tried to induce the frightened peasants to come back to their villages and carry on the cultivation of their deserted fields by granting them kauls. Manucci, who had first-hand knowledge of the Deccan affairs, writes as follows : "As soon as the governor approached the Portuguese villages, the frightened peasants took to flight. Upon noticing this the governor sent for the village headmen and treating them courteously reassured them, and told them that they ought to remain in their villages and go on cultivating their fields as usual. For, so he assured them, no one would interfere with them. He sent them away contented, giving presents to each according to his merits.”¹⁴
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¹⁴ Manucci, ed. Irvine, Vol. II, p. 229.